"Come on, Platinum, open wide—" Leap of Faith held a steaming box of takoyaki, gazing eagerly at Platinum's face.
Platinum stood cross-armed by the roadside, lost in thought, with no mind to humor Leap of Faith. She was still mulling over everything she'd witnessed at Matikanefukukitaru's fortune-telling booth.
Though she had initially been excited to explore the festival with Leap of Faith and Fuji Kyoji, the fortune-telling had soured her mood entirely.
What did Matikanefukukitaru's words even mean? What was this about threads and anchors? And why did she say that Platinum had to 'deceive the Weaving Maiden of Fate'?
Why did fortune-tellers always have to speak in such riddles?
"Hey, hey, Faith, why are you treating her like that?" Fuji Kyoji was honestly at her limit. She was starting to regret agreeing to Leap of Faith's request to meet at the cafe earlier.
And Leap of Faith had never fed her like that!
"Huh? If you want some, go get your own. Why do I have to feed you?" Leap of Faith turned a cold face toward Fuji Kyoji. "You've been at Tracen Academy long enough now, you don't need me looking after you anymore, do you?"
Fuji Kyoji staggered back as if struck, staring in disbelief.
That once gentle Faith... that considerate Faith... how could she say something so cruel?
Before, she would've sighed 'what am I going to do with you' and turned to feed her without a second thought!
Fuji Kyoji covered her face and tilted her head up toward the sun.
All it takes is one bad day to ruin someone.
Whimper.
In just a single day, Leap of Faith had become like this—
Could she really blame her? No. She knew what a kind soul Leap of Faith used to be.
So that meant... all of this, all of this was—
Platinum! You homewrecker!
Ignoring the two noisy figures behind her, Platinum kept thinking.
'Wind the threads more and more around yourself'... What did that mean?
Connecting it to the 'Weaving Maiden of Fate,' were the threads a metaphor for destiny?
And 'winding them around herself'... How would she even do that?
Win more races?
Make more people know her?
Or... spend more time with the other Uma Musume around her?
It didn't make sense.
And what about those three anchors? What were they supposed to be?
And right after that, three more riddles.
Was she supposed to go somewhere and find something?
Now that she thought about it, the whole vibe had completely shifted, hadn't it?
Wasn't this supposed to be a kid-friendly world where running replaced shadowy duels?
The occasional ghost, psychic power, or supernatural phenomenon was one thing, but this fortune-telling felt like it belonged in some other story, like Arknights or something.
But... Platinum never once doubted the fortune's validity.
A secret she'd rather die than reveal had been spoken aloud so easily. That alone proved something was up.
The more she thought, the more tangled her thoughts became, like a tightly wound ball of yarn in her heart.
Three anchors.
[One is right by your side. In the time after sunset rises again, where the shadow of noon points the way, behind the cross, the number is three.]
[One, at the mouth of ten thousand rivers, the golden harbor.]
[The last, in the land where day and night are reversed. Wait patiently for the time.]
She couldn't figure it out.
But among the three riddles, one was especially urgent.
The first one had a time limit!
"So... 'the time after sunset rises again'... that's just tomorrow, isn't it?" Platinum muttered to herself. "So why couldn't she just speak plainly?"
The first riddle wasn't just straightforward about the location—it also specified the time. Even the following clues had a certain... simplistic charm, like something a grade-schooler would come up with.
Should she go?
Of course she would! Matikanefukukitaru's meaning was clear enough—solving these riddles was tied to the Soul Dissolution Syndrome, and might even hold a chance to cure her!
Even though she was pinning her hopes on the Level 2 Shop unlocking after a victory in the Yayoi Sho... having another option couldn't hurt.
No matter how slim the hope, if there was even a chance, Platinum wouldn't let it go.
As she pondered, two more figures flashed past her eyes—at a festival run by Uma Musume, it was all familiar faces everywhere she looked.
Platinum's breath hitched. The two figures were none other than Matikanefukukitaru and Meisho Doto, walking side-by-side, chatting and laughing!
"So... after my divination this morning, I found out my lucky food today is takoyaki," Matikanefukukitaru said as she and Meisho Doto stopped at the very stall Leap of Faith had just visited.
"Eh... r-really...?"
Meisho Doto responded timidly, a hand pressed to her chest.
A stark white streak stood out in the front of Meisho Doto's hair, and she had a generally dazed air about her.
Normally, Platinum would've stared a bit longer. Big was good, and good was big. Compared to a kid like Tokai Teio, building rapport with someone like Meisho Doto was obviously preferable.
But right now, Platinum only had eyes for Matikanefukukitaru!
Platinum strode over and grabbed Matikanefukukitaru's wrist.
"Eek! Wh-what is it?" Startled by the sudden grip, Matikanefukukitaru stared nervously at Platinum.
'Don't scare her off again... I can't let her get away this time. I have to make her explain what she meant before...'
Thinking this, Platinum took a moment to steady herself.
"I'm sorry, but this is really important to me... Could you please explain the fortune you gave me earlier in more detail?" Still holding the wrist, Platinum bowed before her.
In any case, polite words or making a scene—Platinum didn't care. This time, she was going to get Matikanefukukitaru to talk!
This was far too important to her!
"Uh... Ah, ah! So it's you, customer!" A cold sweat dripped down Matikanefukukitaru's forehead as she forced a laugh.
"It seems we're quite famous now. Today's auspicious divination really came true, after all."
"If you're in such a hurry, let's head back to my booth now. I'll give you a proper reading..."
"You know what I'm talking about!" Platinum pressed closer urgently, tightening her grip on the other girl's arm. "The reading you just gave me!"
"P-please, stop this!"
As the two struggled, the flustered Meisho Doto, clutching her hands to her chest, cried out, "We've been together the whole time! We just got back from the butler cafe! How could she have given you a reading?"
Platinum froze. Seizing the chance, Matikanefukukitaru yanked her wrist free and scurried over to stand beside Meisho Doto.
"Yeah, that's right! We just came from the butler cafe. If you don't believe me, you can ask T.M. Opera O!" Matikanefukukitaru chimed in.
Platinum stared blankly at the two of them, not even hearing the calls from Leap of Faith and Fuji Kyoji behind her.
Then... just who was it that gave her that fortune?
A sudden chill drenched Platinum's back, her hands and feet turning cold as ice, as if she'd been thrown into a frozen cellar.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.